Farmers Markets bloom starting today

Sierra Chef has released the rules for customers of the Main Street Gardnerville Farmers Market in Heritage Park. Similar rules will be in place for the Minden Farmers Market.

■ Practicing social distancing requires everyone’s participation to be effective. We need your help to create a social distancing friendly environment and are asking you to follow these guidelines when you visit our modified market:

■ If you are sick, stay home and ask a friend or family member to pick things up for you instead. If you appear to be sick you will not be admitted to the Market.

■ Wash your hands with soap and water before coming to the market.

■ We highly recommend everyone to wear masks.

■ Read all Market signs and vendor signs so that you understand the Market Rules. If you do not understand please ask one of the Sierra Chef Farmers Market Team members.

■ Maintain 6 feet of space from other shoppers and allow others their space when shopping. There will be signage to assist with the proper distancing.

■ If you need to sneeze or cough, sneeze or cough into a tissue or into the crease of your elbow.

■ Shop quickly to limit crowding.

■ No sampling of product.

■ Buy pre-bagged items whenever you can – some farmers are preparing them ahead for you.

■ Your reusable bags will not be allowed to be handled by vendors; you will have to place your product in your own bag.

■ Minimize the size of your group when shopping and keep your group together – this is especially important when shopping with young children.

■ Wait outside the booth until it is free of other shoppers, and then take your turn.

■ You will not be able to spend time socializing or linger at the Farmers Market and will be asked to leave if you do so.

■ Do not touch anything for sale before you buy it. The farmer/vendor will pick out what you want and bag it for you.

■ If possible, use touchless payment (pay without touching money, a card, or a keypad). If you must handle money, a card, or use a keypad, use hand sanitizer right after paying.

The first of Carson Valley’s two farmers markets will start this week in Minden.

“We were on a conference call with the state, and they asked us to please, please do the farmer’s market,” Stangle said. “We’ll have to limit the number of people, have social distancing and go forward under strict rules.”

A farmers market has been held somewhere in Carson Valley every summer over the past 25 years.

The Gardnerville farmers market will undergo a big change that has nothing to do with the coronavirus outbreak.

The market will take place at Heritage Park in Gardnerville 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting May 27 if all goes well.

Under a contract, the market will be renamed the Main Street Farmers Market through 2025.

Each vendor participating in the market will provide a fee to Main Street.

“It will activate the use of Heritage Park bringing people to our downtown,” Town Manager Erik Nilssen said.

Sierra Chef’s Cynthia Ferris-Bennett said she’s looking forward to having the market at Heritage Park.

“One of the best parts of Heritage Park is that we’re on grass,” Ferris-Bennett said. Hopefully it will be a huge farmers market that gets wonderful attendance. The gazebo gives us an opportunity to have demonstrations from farmers.”

Ferris-Bennett said she has conducted the market at Lampe Park for the last five years.

Town Board Chairman Lloyd Higuera praised the move.

“I think this is going to be great for the town and great for Main Street,” Higuera said. “I don’t see any downside. Moving it to Heritage Park will help it grow, too.”

Ferris-Bennett directed visitors

“The market this year will be a little different but we hope that everyone understands that new market rules are put in place for the safety of everyone,” Ferris-Bennett said. “These new rules can be found at SierraChef.com or on the Sierra Chef Nevada Facebook pgae. We will continue to have our Big Bag Giveaway each week.”